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To meet the needs of the increasing numbers of students on campus reporting incidents of depression, anxiety and other wellness issues, the Enrollment & Retention Services Division of EducationDynamics today announced the release of Student HealthQuest. Developed by a team of psychologists, physicians, clinical researchers and other health professionals, Student HealthQuest is an interactive, Web-based program that helps colleges and universities identify and manage mental health issues in an effort to mitigate the risk of campus violence.
Recent research by the American College Health Association suggests that nearly 32 percent of college students reported experiencing depression or anxiety during 2007. In addition, 74 percent of students alleged their academic performance had been adversely affected by at least one incident of depression, anxiety or sleep difficulties in the past year. Despite the influx of depression and anxiety on college campuses across the country, many students express a reluctance to seek help due to embarrassment and a perceived stigma surrounding wellness issues.
“Millennial students’ preference for Web-based communication suggests that it may be easier for them to seek help online than to initiate a face-to-face meeting with health care providers,” says Dr. Adam Troy, director of research at EducationDynamics. “Research tells us that only a minority of distressed students will seek counseling, and colleges and universities need new tools to reach students in their preferred medium and guide them to the help they need before it’s too late.”
EducationDynamics’ Student HealthQuest immerses students in engaging content through interactive self-assessments, video and audio programming, informational articles, self-exploration activities and social networking tools. The program addresses the stresses typically facing college students, including:
• Anxiety and stress
• Depression, bipolar and eating disorders
• Exercise and physical activity
• Social skills and self esteem
• Romantic relationships, sexual health and sexual orientation
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• Cutting and self harm
• Adjusting to college and dealing with academic burnout.
While students in need are driven to contact their student counseling center and/or crisis help lines, school administrators receive related early warning email alerts through a reporting dashboard that connects them with students in need. This feature can prove critical for overworked counseling centers where, according to the American College Counseling Association, the average ratio of counselors to students was reportedly 1:1,969 in 2007.
For more information on EducationDynamics’ Student HealthQuest program, please contact Tracy Howe at 201.377.3318.
About EducationDynamics
EducationDynamics, a portfolio company of Halyard Capital, is the leading marketing and information services company dedicated to helping higher education institutions find, enroll and retain students. Its content-rich and highly visible education websites, including EarnMyDegree.com, eLearners.com, GradSchools.com, StudyAbroad.com, and its more than 50 special interest microsites, make EducationDynamics the premier provider of qualified prospective students for colleges and universities. In addition, the company offers a full suite of Web-delivered services proven to drive enrollment growth and reduce student attrition.
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